84R4810 CJM-D
By: Sheets H.R. No. 175
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is celebrating
the 125th anniversary of its founding in 2015; and
WHEREAS, In response to the growing Catholic population in
Texas, Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Dallas in 1890; Thomas
Francis Brennan of Tipperary, Ireland, was appointed as the first
bishop over an area that encompassed most of North and West Texas;
and
WHEREAS, Through the years, the Diocese of Dallas has evolved
to accommodate the changing needs of its parishioners, with the
establishment of such institutions as the Texas Catholic diocesan
newspaper, Holy Trinity College, and St. Paul Hospital; in 1902,
the Sacred Heart Cathedral was constructed when the congregation
outgrew the simple wooden church that had previously served as the
seat of the diocese; as the local Catholic population continued to
increase, the boundaries were redrawn several times to form the
Dioceses of El Paso, Amarillo, Austin, San Angelo, Fort Worth, and
Tyler, and today, the Diocese of Dallas covers an area of 7,523
square miles, including Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson,
Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall Counties, and is one of the
fastest growing dioceses in the country; and
WHEREAS, Since 2007, the faithful of the diocese have
benefited from the wise and compassionate oversight of Bishop Kevin
Joseph Farrell, who is leading an effort not only to increase parish
support for families and children but also to advance work on
restoration of the landmark Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of
Guadalupe; and
WHEREAS, Countless Texans have looked to the Catholic Diocese
of Dallas for spiritual guidance over the last 125 years, and its
member parishes continue to be a positive and vital force in the
communities they serve; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 125th anniversary of the
founding of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas and extend to its
parishioners and clergy sincere best wishes for the future; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the diocese as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.